ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a broad overview of Mahatma Gandhi — the man, his message, and the media that he used to convey it. It focuses on Gandhi’s message of truth, non-violence, and conflict transformation, given the context of the study. Gandhi’s ability to mobilise people irrespective of economic, social, political, or cultural differences was possible not only due to the issues that he raised and pursued, or the message that he conveyed, but also due to the manner in which he conveyed it. The chapter unveils the different media that Gandhi used to convey his message to the public and his use of symbolic expressions, oratorical practices, and textual interventions. Recognizing the significance of symbols as effective tools of communication to reach out to the people, he made extensive use of symbols such as fasting, silence, prayer meetings, padayatras, and so on. The chapter also traces Gandhi’s sartorial communicative practices including spinning, the use of the charka and spinning wheel, khadi, and his own sartorial transformation. It further highlights Gandhi’s oratorical practices and textual interventions, including his letter writing, pamphlets, and books.
